Lister-cultivator.



No. 879,187. P'TL'BNTBD FEB, la, 1908. 0. H. MBLVIN. MSTBR GULTWATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED JULYl'?, 1907.

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.LISTBR OULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17. 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 24 W17 NESSES f AWE/wwe No. 879,l8'7. PATENTED FEB.18,1908.

.0. H. MELVIN.

- LISTER GULTIVATQR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY17.1907.

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No. www,

LSTEB GULTIVATR.

MDPLIUATION FILED JULY 1v. 1907.

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110.879,18?. PATENTBD 151113.18, 1908, C. H. MELVIN.

LISTER CULTIVATGR.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY17,1907.

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Wi mfESSBS UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

`CHARLES H. MELVIN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DEERE da COMPANY,OF MOLINE,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LISTER-CULTIVATOR.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 190B.

Application filed July 17. 1907. Serial No. 384.1941

of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLister-Cultivators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to 'which it appertains to make `and use thesame. l p

The main objects of this invention'v are to improve the generalconstruction and increase the eiliciency ofloperation of listercultivators of the character set forth in my prior patent No. 7 81011and pending app ication Serial No. 293544; Patent No. 868,107, datedOctober 15, 1907, and, 'more especially, to

enlarge the range oi' adjustment of the cultivator-rigs andtheirsupporting and guiding wheels; to improve the construction Whereby theimplement is mounted to permit raising the rigs by throwing back thewheels relative to the frame; `and to provide an implement of thecharacter noted having, in addition toits other capacities andfunctions, the further capacity of enabling its course to be deflectedWithout disturbing the alinement of the Working parts to the corn row.

The foregoing results are accomplished by means substantially asrepresented in the accompanying drawings, which are to vbevtaken as apart of this specification; it being understood, however, that thedetails of con-v struction and arrangement of parts of the illustratedmachine may be modified in various ways without departing fromtheprinciple ot' my invention; so that I do not desire to be limited to-the specific construction shown. i

The invention will first be described by reference to said drawings landthen more par'- ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure I of said drawingsois atop plan View of a two-row im lementembodying' my invention,said imp ement comprising twodexibly-coiinecte'd cultivators or sets of supportin -wheels'I andcultivator-rigs respectively y 'shown in Fig, 1*,

a( aptedigforfworking one row. Fig gis an enlargedplan View' of one ofthe cultivators or one set of supporting- Wheels and culti'vatorrigstogether with the draft-tongue and frame-Work therefor. Fig. 3 is a side:view of the cultivator shown in ltion is notfrestricted to Fig. 2, withdotted lines indicating an elevated position of the cultivator-rigs. Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of one of the cultivators arranged forthe iirst operation of cultivating young corn. Fig. 5k is a rearperspective view of one of the cultivatorsarranged for the secondcultivation of the corn after it has reached a larger and more heartygrowth. Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the cultivators arrangedi'orY the third operation of the corn after the plantshave attained aconsiderable height, this being usually the last cultivation after whichthe plants are left to mature and yield their produce.

In Fig. 1, which represents a two-row implement of a general charactersimilar to that disclosed in my former application Serial No. 293544,two wheel-supportedk7 cultivators or opposite sets of supportingwheelsand associated pairs of cultivatorrigs, each arranged for working onopposite sides of a row of corn, are shown flexiblyconnected andlaterally movable onV a transverse seat-frame; so that, in operation,the opposite pairs of rigs are 'tree to move in and out to conform tovariations in the width or distance between the rows or furrows. Thecross-bars B and C oi' the seat-frame are shown joined by a medialseat-bar D and the two tongues or draft-poles A, to which the oppositepairs ol supporting-wheels and cultivaifor rigs are respectivelyattached, areconnected to said cross-bars B and C by any suitable meansallewing said tongues to move laterally on the seat-frame, for whichpurpose the front cross-bar B is shown passed loosely through orslidably fitted in the eyes of eye-bolts b on the tongues, while therear cross-bar C is slidablyitted in the apertured l ends of brackets orstraps c affixed to the tongues. The eye-bolts 'b are preferablyswiveled br pivotally secured in the tongues A, and the strapse are alsopivotally attached y thereto. The tonvues A are also shown pivotallyconnectedy by links E to the op osite arms of a lever F which ismedially l-. crumed or pivotally secured to the central seat-bar D;whereby the tongues and sets f of cultivator-rig's attached theretoareeaused to move laterally in and out at opposite sides of the machinein unison, and at e ual distances from the seat-bar, as explains in Mypresent invenmy former application.

any particular construction of seat-frame and flexible connectionbetween the cultivators, the arrangement shown being illustrated only byway of example. f

Each set or pair of cultivator-rigs, together with the correspondingpair of supporting and guidin wheels on which the implement is mounteand frame-work whereby said cultivator-rigs and wheels are attached tothe respective tongue, may for the purposes of this specification beconsidered as a one-row cultivator embodying my improvements, and adescription of one of such cultivators will suffice.

As shown, the tongue A is rigidly attached by an end bracket or strap aand side braces a1 to a rear transverse frame-bar or member A1, which inthe present case is shown comprising two I-beams bolted together. Theseparts constitute the rigid draft-frame for one act of cultivatingdevices, which frame is mounted on pivotal wheels H having an extensibleconnection with a lever on the frame for castering said wheels inunison.

lThe said pivotal wheels, together with trailing cultivator-rigs carriedby the frame,v are adjustable laterally for varying the space betweenthe wheels and rigs and the said wheels with the rig-frames are alsoswung from the main frame in such manner that the rigs can be lifted orswung upward by moving back the wheels relative to the frame, while, theimplement is normally held in balance by the pull of the team, whichholds the wheels forward and draws the cultivatingpdevices down into thesoil.

The mode of attachment of the wheels and cultivator-rigs to the frame,whereby the foregoing results are obtained, -is as follows: Theframe-member A1 is mounted on a divided arch G, swung therefrom andadapted to be widened or narrowed, thus constituting a laterallyextensible supporting frame, the half-members of which carry therespective wheels H and 4rig-frames which work on opposite sides of therow. For this purpose,.

said arch com rises, preferably, two reversely arrange :l-shapedhalf-members, and the upper arms of said half-members are journaled orrotatably secured in horizontal sleeve-bearin s g, which latter areadjustably-secured by clamps g1 to the rear framemember A1. The lowerarms of the said halfmembers are equipped with fixed pipesleeves J, ofsquare or angular exterior c'onfiguration. Brace rods g2 are shownjoining the outer ends of the upper and lower arms of the half-membersof the arch. On said pipesleeves J are adjustably-secured, by means ofclamps 'i and 7c, the bearing-boxes l1 of the pivotal wheel-carryingstandards or caster spindles l, and the front ends of the trailingr1g-fra1nes K. By means of the clamps 'i and lc, the wheel-standards andrig-frames can be independently adjusted laterally on theI avaler squaresleeves J, as may be necessary, while the division of the arch G, towhich the wheels and rigs are attached, permits adjustment of the Wheelsand rigs together for widening or narrowing the distance between them,in accordance with adjustments needed for cultivation at various stagesof growth of the plants.

The rig-frames K and cultivator-gangs carried thereby are, by way Aofexample, shown substantially as disclosed in my former application; saidrig-frames comprising straps or bars between the rear ends of which arebolted blocks L, having bolted or attached thereto the Shanks of rotarycultivator disks Q and oblique shovel-beams M and N; said shovel-beams Mand N being arranged at opposite sides of the row, each carrying a frontcultivator blade or shovel O, and rear cultivator. blade or shovel P,and the cultivator disks Q being respectively arranged between saidblades O and P, and inclined corresponding to the Obliquity of therespective shovel-beams M and N. The two rigs or gangs of cultivatingdevices are interchangeable and adapted to be transposed from one to theother side of the row, which is most conveniently accomplished either bytransposing to opposite sides the blocks L l with the parts attachedthereto, or by transposing the whole rig-frames K with the partsattached thereto but may also be. accomplished by transposing the shovelbeams M and N and Shanks of the disks In Fig. 4, which represents thecultivator arranged for the first cultivation of young corn when it isdesired to destroy the weeds` which spring up in the furrow and on thesides of the ridges, the half-members of the arch G are shown broughttogether, and the solid faced disk-wheels H are set to travel in thebottoni of the furrow against the sides thereof and thus guide thetravel of the ri s and blades which do the cultivating work. The disks Qare arranged to throw outward, and they scrape off the sides of theridges to a slight depth, throwing the surface a little further awayfrom the furrow'and destroying the weeds. The rig-beams M and N convergerearwardly, carrying the rear cultivater blades P in the furrow, so asto weed out foreign growths on opposite sides of the row, and carryingthe front cultivator-blades O along the tops of the ridges, so as .tostir up this portion of the soil and destroy all growths thereon.

In Fig. 5, which represents the cultivator arranged for the secondcultivation after the plants have attained a more advanced growth, thearch-members G andwheels H remain as before, so that the wheels stilltravel inside of the furrow-walls but the cultivator-rigs or gangs aretrans 'osed and the front cultivator-blades O are eft off. The rearcultivator-blades P, which by transpo- 15 rig-frames, so as to run 45Shown mounted on the clamp @79,187 sition of *he rigs are thrown furtherapart, between the lever lil and cranksarm ll in run on the tops of theridges, while the disks are arranged to throw inward and slice oil'portions of the ridges and throw them in the furrow, leaving the furrowabout half full,

more or less. l y `In Fig. o, which represents the cultivator arrangedfor the thir'd cultivation at a later stage of growth of the corn, afterwhich the l plants are left to ripen, the rig-s retain the I samegeneral position as lfor the second opcri ation, but are spread apart bywidening` the l arch G or spacing the half-members thereof. ,i .Thewheels l are also arranged outside of the far apart possi.- ble. In thisoperation, the disks Q, take the l remainder of the ridges and throwthem to the corn, leaving the dirt .hilled u p for about i four or'iiveinches against the corn, and the I' surface on the sides at practicallyits original. l level, this surface beingl stirred up hy the f rearcultivating blades. l The above explanation of the successive ycultivating operations is substantially as set forth in my aforesaidapplication, and is rel peated here for a clearer understanding of l theillustrated implement. l desire it to be i understood, however, that mypresent inven tion is not confined to any particular construction ofcultivatorlrigs or gangs, since l other suitable types or species ofrigs or gangs may be used if desired. 'lt should also be l understoodthat the foregoing explanation is made more especially with reference tothe l particular utility for which the implement is i lnteniled, butwithout essential imitation l thereto, the implement being' adapted forAother cultivatingl purposes.

The pivot-standards or caster-spindles lf, 40 which carry the pivotalwheels H, are provided on their upper ends with crank-arins R, and saidcrankarms are connected by connecting rods R1 to a link S1, which latteris connected to tlrleshorter arm of a lever S, 'i1 at one endof the rearfranie-har A1; said lever S being provided with the usual supplementallever and l springactuated lock-bolt for engaging a l notch in a rackS2. The wheels ll Arun parl allel and normally are in alinenient withthe I direction of travel of the team, in which position the Wheels areheld hy engagement of the aforesaid lock-bolt with the rack S2. But ondisengaging said lock-bolt from the rack, the lever S can be moved toturn the cranks R, through the connections S1 and R1, so as l to pivotor caster hoth wheels in unison, l thereby delecting the course of theimple l ment, hut'without affecting the alinenient of thecultivator-rigs to the row of corn. The t two connecting-rods R1'overlap and are joined by adjustable clamps r, to one of l which thelink Sl ispivotally attached. By l loosening the clamps 1', the rods canbe shifted so as to extend or shorten. the connection l cordance withthe spacing between the halfinenihers ol' the arch (l, which carry therespective wheels li and cultivatorrigs.

For l'iolding the implement in balance hy the hitch. or pull of theteam, and providing for raising the cultivating-ilcvices from the soilwhen desired, a construction suhstantlally similar to that of myaforesaid applicaH tion included in the present implement. As shown, aforked or bi-lnzuiohed'lever T, pivotallymwunted on the draftefraine,straddies the tongue A, and the lower ends of said Iii-branched leverhelow the tongue are connerted hy a. curved link U to the whitiletree lVto which the horses are hitched. Said lower arms of the forked lever '.lare also connected hy draft-rods V to the lower parts of thearch-members G, said draft-rod? flieing shown hooked in apertured earson the square sleeves fl. Supplemental draft rods u, adjustahly attachedhy clamps lu1 to the draft-rods l, extend to the outer ends of the lowerarms of the archsmemhers G, being shown hooked in apertured ears on thecollars g, which latter coi'meeti-.idv hy the aforesaid brace-rods Qg'tothe upper arms of said arch-members. The clamps i-nahle the draftfods uto he adjustahly connected. to the main drafurods V, in accordance withthe widening or narrowine1 of the arch G. Thus, Yby means of the underhitch., thepull of the team holds the wheels and cultivatorrigs inproper relation to the frame, the nis pleinent being in balance, and thedraft tends 100 to revolve the rigs and. wheels on the upper horizontalarms of the arch, and 'thereby pulls the rear cultivating hlades androtary disks into the ground. The upper end of said forked lever '.l isconnected hy a rod or 105 link X lto a lever Y, having' the usualsupple* rnental lever and lock-bol t for engaging a seg'- mental vrack Zmounted on the tongue A.. By pulling hack on the lever Y, the forked lever l is thrown forward, as indicated ll'ig. 11a 3 by dotted lines,therehy pushing' hack the wheels li and lifting' the rigs. llihen the lever YY is thrown `forward, the pull of the team again pulls the wheelsforward and draws the cultivator devices into the soil. The lever Y isshown i-mgag'ing in a yoke or stirrup ai on the link X.. Said yoke orstirrup a: can slip or slide on the rod X., and is pressed forwardagainst any suitable stop rc on said rod hy means of a coiled spring e2,the latter being 120 interposed between the yoke a; and a collar or stopon the rear end of the rod X. When the operator is starting the machine,Rhe throws the lever Y forward and locks itin the notch of the rack Z atwhich the machine 125 is desired to work. ln this movement, theA shovelsare lowered, and when they strike thei ground the operator continues topush vthe lever Y forward, thereby compressing .the spring` m2, untilthe lever Y is .held at .thede- 130 di o the team, and they continue tolower untilthe stop :ri strikes the yoke fr, when the desired depth isreached. The purpose of the springl :rz is to obviate thenecessity ofthe operator keeping his hand on the lever l' and pushing until theshovels are down.

'From the foregoing itwill be observed, ti t, in addition to capacityfor adjustment to meet the requirements oi cultivation at various stagesoi" growth, including the widening or narrowing of the arch whichcarries the supporting wheels and cultivating rigs and also independentadjustment of' said wheels and. rigs laterally on the arch, and inaddition to the capability of the arch to swing on its upper bearings,allowing the wheels 'to move back and lift the rigs, and allowing therigs 'to ce brought forward and the cultivating devices to be drawn intothe soil by the pull ol the team, the pivotal whee s are adapted to betmncd to `deilect the course ol' the implement, but without disturbingthe .-.ilincinent oi the working parts te the row, and withoutaller-,ting the other capacit and functions of the machine.

ln a two row implement, reprr-isented in l? l, the levers S and Y oiboth oultivatorsl extend inwardly within range of the drivers se t, sothat the driver can operate any one or more of saidlevers at will;

l claim as my linvention and. desire to secure by liet Patent of theUnited States:

l. ln a cultivator, the combination ot' a pair of cultivato'r-rigs forworking on opposite sides of a row, an associated pair of supporting andguiding wheels adapted to stradrow, said wheels and rigs together dlathe being.: laterally adjustable ier widening or vnarrowing the spacebetween them, -the rigs 'beine' carried with the wheels said .wheelsment can be deilected without disturbing the alinement of thecultivating devices to the row. f

2. in a cultivator, the combination of a trame havinglaterally-adjustable members rv adapting said frame to be widened ornarwen, pivotal suppciting-wheels on which .frame is mounted, saidwl'ieels adapted to str ddle a row and respectively'attaclied to saidadjustablemembers, cultivator-rigs for .v'orking on opposite sides ofthe row respectively carried by said adjustable members and attachedthereto independently ol the wheels, and means independent of the draftmeans ustably connected with both wheels for casteriug tthem inunisomwhereby mais? the course of the implement can be deflected withoutdisturbing the alinement of the cultivating devices to the row.

3. In a cultivator, the combination of a wheel-supported frame,cultivating devices carried thereby arranged for working on oppositesides of the row, pivot-standards carrying thewheels, separate laterallyadjusted members respectively carrying the opposite 'rigs andfcorresponding pivot-standards,

crank-arms on said pivot-standards, adjustable united connecting rodsrespectivelyr connected with said crank-arms, and a lever mounted onsaid frame connected. with said rods for shifting the same to caster'the wheels. i

4. In a cultivator, the combination of a wheelsupported frame, thesupportingwheels having pivot-bearings swung from the trame, andtrailing` cultivating devices swung,r with the wheel-bearings, meansholding the implement in balance, means for throwing back said wheelsand thereby lifting said cultivating,r devices, and means connected withsaid wheels for castering them in unison. l

5. ln a cultivator, the combination of a wheel-supported frame,laterally-adjustable members swung` from said frame, cultivater-rigs foruf'orlring on opposite sides oi a row carried by saidmembers,supportingwheels for straddling the row having pivotbearingscarried by said members, means adjustably connected with both wheels forcastering them in unison, means holding the implement in balance, yandmeans for throw-- ing back the Wheels relative to the frame and therebylifting the rigs.

6. ln a cultivator, the combination of a wheel supported frame, the

supporting wheels thereof ad opted to straddle a row and having;iivot-bearings swungr from the frame and adjustable laterally thereof,cultivatorrigs for working on opposite sides of the row carried by saidframe and adjustable laterally, an extensible connection. between said.wheels, and means for castering them in unison. j l j '7. In acultivator, the combination of a divided arch adapted to he widened ornarrowed, the respective half-members thereof having,7 oppositelyprojecting,r lateral arms, supporting` wheels adapted to straddle a row,cult-ivator rigs for working on opposite sides of the row, said wheelsand rigs being attached-to the lateral arms oi' the resusctivehalt-members of the arch, and each W reel and each rigbeingindependently adjustable on opposite sides of the row respectivelyattached to the half-members of said arch, said wheels being pivotal fordei'lecting the course of the implement, and a lever mounted on saidframe having eXtensible-connections with said wheels for cast'ering themin unison.

9. in a cultivator, the combination of a mounted frame, a swingingdivided arch deending therefrom comprising laterally-adjustablehalf-members adapting said arch to be widened or narrowed, plvotalwheelsand cultivating devices for working on opposite sides ci a row carriedby the respective halfmembers of said arch, a lever mounted on saidframe having adjustable connections with saidwheels for; castering them,means vfor normally holding the implement in balance, and a levermounted on said frame having connection with said arch for moving backthe wheels relative to. said frame.

10. The combination of a wheel-supported frame, a divided arch swungfrom said frame comprising half-members adjustable laterally forwidening or narrowing said arch, the supporting-wheels being carried bysaid half members, cultivating devices for working on opposite sides ofthe row carried by said half members, a hitch-device connected to the:trame but capable of a limited free movement, draft-rods connectingsaid hitch and half-members of the arch, and a lever mounted on said`frame connected-with said hitch-device for moving the same backward.

il. The combination of a wheel-supported frame, a swinging arch onwhichfsaid frame 1s mounted carrying supportingl wheels and cultivatingdevices, a' hitch device and rod connections between said hitch deviceand arch, whereby the latter is maintained in balance with thecultivating devices in the soil, and a lever mounted on said frameconnected with said hitch device for moving the same reversely to thedirection of pull of the team. t

12. In a cultivaton the combination of a transverse frame-member,horizontal bearings adjustably-secured onsaid frame-members, a dividedarch comprising depending 3. In a cultivator, the combination of adraft-tongue, a frame attached thereto having a depending swinging archprovided with lateral arms, supporting wheels therefor whose standardsare rigidly secured on said arms, and trailing cultivator-rigs rigidlysecured on said arms, a forked or bi-branched Ylever straddling thetongue, a lever mounted on the frame connectedwith said forked leverabove the tongue, a hitch-device connected with said forked lever belowthe tongue, and draft-rods connecting the lower arms of said forkedlever with the opposite sides of the arch.

In testimony whereof I aiiixiny signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. MELVIN. Witnesses:

FRED H. Coenen, EUGENE L. TAYLOR.

